Five Tips For Finding Office Space For Rent

You’ve spent months, maybe even years, to come up with the perfect business plan, company name, logo and company culture. It’s all just the way you dreamed, but if your office space doesn’t match your image, you’re working at a deficit. If you want to have a completely cohesive image, everything has to be perfectly in sync. Here are some tips for finding office space in the Houston and Dallas areas. It’s got to compliment your business image, accommodate your clients and fit your future needs.

The Right Building Type

If you’re a strict suit and tie type of business, you might be more comfortable in a large building that houses other professional companies. Being surrounded by other briefcase carrying people will put you and your staff in the right frame of mind. On the other hand, if your company is more laid back and fun-loving, a free-standing building with a deck or outdoor area will be better. That way, you can go out and play a game of hoops, crank up the tunes or have a lunchtime barbecue without disturbing anyone.

Customer Access

If your customers and clients come to your office, then you’d better make sure it’s in an easily accessible place. Look for a place that’s close to shopping, restaurants and other busy places so you can attract some of the traffic that passes by. Conversely, if your business operates online, you won’t necessarily need a convenient place for customers. In this case, the most important thing to consider is a reliable internet connection and IT infrastructure.

Allowable Signage

Hanging your shingle outside your business lets people know who you are and what you do. Some areas have restrictions on the size, type and style of signs that are allowed. These rules are usually in place to keep the building and surrounding area from being too cluttered. Other times, there are no restrictions. Ask the landlord if you’ll be able to put up the kind of sign that you want to. Also ask if you have to use their vendor or if you’re able to hire the sign maker of your choice.

Restrictions On Hours

The business world generally operates during the daytime hours, you know, 9 to 5. Some people prefer to spend the wee hours of the morning in the office instead of snuggled up in bed. Although that’s the way you like to work, your landlord might not like it so much. Hours of the day, days of the week that you can use the space are often dictated by the property manager or owner. Sometimes they’ll even tell you how many customers you can service in a day. Be sure that there are no restrictions on the hours that you or your clients can be in the building.

Sublease Option

At first, you might think that you’ll be able to handle the rent, utilities and other expenses for your business, but that could change. It’s pretty common for business owners to find themselves running short of cash. One way to overcome this is to sublease part of your space to another entrepreneur. But don’t even think about it unless your lease allows for it! Landlords get pretty uptight about that kind of thing. Even if you never intend to use the option, you might want to make sure you have it, just in case.

Finding the right office space is important to your business and your own happiness. If you need a little help finding the right place, contact us. We know where all the best properties are and we’ll work hard to help you find the perfect space for your business.